By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following escalating concerns from residents regarding overcrowding and disruptive tourist behavior, the Japanese city of Fujiyoshida has canceled its annual Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival. For roughly a decade, this event has attracted approximately 200,000 visitors eager to photograph Mount Fuji with blooming cherry blossoms and a historic pagoda. The decision stems from a surge in tourism, amplified by social media and a weaker yen, leading to significant impacts on the local community, including sanitation issues and safety worries for children. While the official festival is canceled, authorities anticipate continued high visitor numbers during the peak blossom season and are implementing measures to manage the influx.
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The annual Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival near Mount Fuji has been cancelled this year, a decision made by the Yamanashi prefecture city government, citing concerns over visitor behavior. This picturesque festival, which typically attracts around 200,000 people eager to capture the iconic view of Mount Fuji framed by cherry blossoms and a five-story pagoda, has been a fixture for about a decade. However, the sheer volume of tourists, amplified by a weaker yen and the viral appeal of the location on social media, has overwhelmed the small community responsible for its management.
The surge in visitor numbers has led to nearly 10,000 people passing through the area daily during the peak blossom season, a situation that the local community finds increasingly unmanageable. This scenario echoes broader concerns about the impact of tourism in Japan, with reports of tourists damaging natural and cultural sites, such as carving names into torii gates and bamboo forests. The sentiment is that such behavior unfortunately leads to the cancellation of events and the loss of access to beautiful places, a recurring theme when the volume of visitors outpaces their respect for the environment and local culture.
While some believe that overtourism is an inevitable consequence of popular destinations and the ease of travel, others point out that not all tourists are the cause of these issues. There’s a perspective that in many rural Japanese hanami festivals, it’s often local residents, not foreigners, who form the more boisterous and potentially disruptive groups. Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, is a time for Japanese people to relax and express themselves in a culturally accepted way, often leading to warm memories of shared experiences under the blossoms, even with strangers.
The proposed solutions for managing such overtourism vary. Some suggest a hefty entrance fee, perhaps around $1,000 USD, coupled with a ban on individuals who exhibit bad behavior from re-entering the country in the future. This approach aims for a direct deterrent. Others highlight that many of Japan’s top attractions, unlike major global tourist hubs like London or New York, are not intrinsically designed to handle large surges of visitors. Places like Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Gion in Kyoto, and the very spot near Mount Fuji are described as narrow and poorly equipped for overwhelming crowds, making them appear painfully over-touristed.
A parallel can be drawn to situations in other countries, such as Germany, where similar issues arise with cherry blossom trees. There, a specific type of problematic behavior involves individuals, often referred to as “influencers,” aggressively shaking trees to create a shower of petals for photographs, demonstrating a self-serving disregard for the trees and the experience of others. This highlights a “screw everyone else, I’ve got mine” mentality that prioritizes social media likes over conservation and shared enjoyment.
There’s also a discussion about the origins of tourist misbehavior, with some suggesting that a significant portion of the damages to locations are perpetrated by locals rather than outsiders, who are sometimes made easy scapegoats for larger societal issues. Despite these differing views on who is primarily responsible, the economic reality is that Japan relies heavily on tourism for its economy, making outright bans a potentially crippling economic decision.
More sustainable solutions are being considered, such as implementing limited licenses for access, mandating guided tours where tour operators bear responsibility, or requiring visitors to book slots and be accompanied. These methods aim to regulate numbers and behavior without completely shutting down tourism, which is vital for Japan’s economy, especially given its demographic challenges and stagnant economic growth. The concern is that if popular spots continue to shut down, the pressure on the remaining accessible locations will only increase.
Furthermore, concerns extend beyond mere damage to property. Parents have reported children being pushed aside on their way to school as large crowds congregate on narrow pavements to access popular photo opportunities. This raises questions about safety and the disruption of local life. The idea of implementing fines, deportations, and permanent bans for those caught engaging in disruptive activities is put forth as a forceful approach to deter bad behavior.
The issue of inadequate facilities is also raised, particularly the lack of toilets. Reports of tourists entering private homes to use bathrooms suggest a systemic lack of public facilities, rather than simply a lack of inherent decency among visitors. Addressing overtourism requires more comprehensive, “system-side” fixes rather than simply blaming “bad people.”
Ultimately, while some argue that the focus on foreigners as the sole culprits is misguided, with locals also contributing to misbehavior, the reality for the Arakurayama Sengen Park festival is that the sheer volume of people, regardless of nationality, has made it unsustainable. The cancellation serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between showcasing a nation’s beauty and preserving its integrity, a balance that requires careful management and a shared sense of responsibility from both visitors and hosts.